Apparatus for applying decalcomanias to hosiery



J. A. RUTH March 21, 1950 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS TO HOSIERY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1948 JAMES A. PUT/1,

INVENTOR. W LW Arm/awn.

J. A. RUTH 2,501,539 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING nEcALcoMANIAs T0 HOSIERY March 21, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1948 JAMES A. Par/1,

INVENTOR.

March 21, 1950 J. A. RUTH 2,561,539

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS TO HOSIERY Filed April 26, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JAMEs A RUTH,

grwem fm Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DECALCO- MANIAS T HOSIERY 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for simultaneously applying trade-marks or other legends to the foot, heel or the toe of hosiery. It is anobject of this invention to provide a conveyor upon which an operator places stockings and the stockings pass along with the conveyor between a pair of superposed rollers, the upper one of which is heated. A plurality of rolls of paper have the decalcomanias or printed matter thereon, which pass beneath the heated roller and upwardly to other friction driven rollers which provides a means for taking up the tape after the same has passed beneath the heated roller. As the stockings pass beneath the heated roller, the pressure and heat of the heated roller against the decalcomanias and the stockings will cause the decalcomanias or printed matter to be transferred to the stockings and then the stockings continue along the conveyor and the stockings may drop into a chute or into any suitable container, or conveyor.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view with parts in section and being taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken along the line 55 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of th apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral Hi indicates a framework comprising a bed made up of horizontal longitudinal members I! and I2 and cross members 13 and M which make up the bed of the machine and the members I l and l2, l3 and M are supported at each corner by vertically disposed angle bars l5, l6, l1, and I 8. Welded to and supported between the vertical legs l5 and it as well as the vertical legs I1 and I8 is a pair of horizontally disposed bars 2!, disposed on the same level,

only one of which is shown, which have secured from on which is fixedly mounted a stepped V,-

pulley 21 around which a V-belt passes and the V-belt 30 extends upwardly to a stepped V-pulley 3| fixedly mounted on a shaft 32. The shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 34 secured to the longitudinal frame members I I and I2.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 32 and disposed between the bearing blocks 34, is a roller 35 on which is disposed a conveyor belt 36. The other end of the conveyor belt 36 passes over a roller 3! which is fixedly mounted on a shaft 40 which extends through the roller 31 and is rotatably mounted at each end in bearing blocks 4! secured to the longitudinal members H and H2. The conveyor belt 36 has a plurality of spaced parallel lines 43 thereon which serve as guide lines when an operator places a plurality of stockings S on the conveyor belt 36.

Rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 45, which are secured to the longitudinal members I! and. 12 of the frame I0 is a shaft 46 which is disposed intermediate the two rollers 3! and 35. The shaft 46 has fixedly mounted thereon a roller 4! over which the belt 36 is permitted to pass.

Directly above the roller 41 is a sheet metal roller 50. The sheet metal roller 50 is mounted on end members 5 I and 52, by any suitable means such as welding, and the end members 5! and 52 are secured to a tubular shaft 53, by any suitable means such as screws 54. The tubular shaft 54 is rotatably supported at each end thereof in arms 55 and 5B which extend to the right and upwardly as observed in Figure 1 and are oscillatably mounted on a shaft 5! which is secured at each end in upwardly extending bearing blocks which are secured to the longitudinal frame members II and I2 of the frame [0.

The lower left-hand end of the arm 55 in Figure 1 has a box-like portion 62 integral therewith. The lower end of the tubular shaft 53 as observed in Figure 3 has successively secured thereto, by any suitable means such as screws 6|, an insulation ring 63, a contact ring 64, another insulation ring 65, another contact ring 66. and an insulation cover 61, all of which are penetrated by insulation screws 6! and secured to the end of the shaft 53, and are confined within the box-like portion 62 of the arm 55.

The box-like portion 62 is penetrated by electric wires 10 and H which lead to a male plug 12 which may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, and the wires Hi and H are connected within the box-like member 62 to suitable brushes 13 and 14 respectively, which through the wires I5 and I6 tocomplete a circuit through the resistance coil TI and that the coil 11 will be insulated from the shaft 53 by the insulation member 80, and the contact rings 64 and 66 are insulated from one another as Well:

as from the shaft 53 by the insulation rings 53 and 65, the insulation cap El and the insulation screws BI. When the electrical heating unit I1. is energized in the manner heretofore described, heat will be transmitted to the exterior surface of the roller 59.

Secured to the shaft 32 and disposed between the stepped V-pulley 3i and the bearing block 34 is a V-pulley 85 having a V-belt 26 therearound. which extends upwardly to a v-pulley 81. The V,-,pulley 87 is fixedlymounted on a shaft 93 which is rotatably mounted in uprising bearing stands 9,2 The bearing stands G2 are secured to the longitudinal frame members II and I2.

Fixedly secured on the shaft til is a roller 95 which engages pape tapes 96, 9'! and 98. The paper tapes 96, 9'5 and 98 are drawn from rolls IllJI, I62 and IE3 respectively and the tapes 96., 91 and 93 as wellas the rolls I92, IQI and 103 may be of one piece, is so desired. The rollers Hi I, I92, and I63 are fixedly mounted on an idler shaft I04 which is rotatably mounted in extended bearing stands H35 which are secured at their lower ends to the longitudinalfram'e members II and I2,

After the tapes 95,91 and 98 leave the rolls IIH, I02 and I63 respectively, they pass downwardly below the heated roll 58 and these tapes 95, 57 and 98 have printed matter or decalcomanias thereon and these decalcomanias are spacedfrom each other in timed relation to the sections of the conveyor belt 36 so that the stockings S will pass one at a time between the rollers 59 and 4 7, at

the same time the printed matter or decalcomanias will pass beneath the roller 59 and thus the decalcomanias or printed matter will be transferredto the heel, foot, and toe of the stocking S'simultaneously. After the tapes 95,, 9'! and 98 have passed beneath the roller 53 and the printed matter or decalcomanias have been transferred therefrom, the tapes will pass upwardly above the roller 95.

Due to the fact that the increase indiameter which would be necessary in the event that the tapes 9?, 98 and 95 were wound about the roller 955, there is mounted above the roller 95 aroller Iliiaround which the tapes 96, 9.? and 98"are wound as they are used. The rolle I it} is rotatably mounted on ashaft i I i and is prevented from horizontal sliding movement on the-shaft I I! by suitable collars I I2 whichare fixedly secured on the shaft HI. The uprising bearing stands 92 have extended upwardly therefrom and integral therewith uprising members Iii, having vertically disposed slots I I5therein, in which the ends of .the shaft IIl are mounted.

The ends of the shaft I I I-have a restricted portion, H6 at each end which extends into the grooyes I Iaandthe rollerd It, whichis secured on the shaft III, is urged downwardly against the roller by compression springs I II, the lower ends of which are mounted in spring perches I20 having arcuate portions which conform to the restricted portions I I6 of the shaft I I I. The upper ends of the compression springs II'I engage blocks I2I which are secured by any suitable means such as screws I22 on the upper ends of the extended portions I I 4 of the uprising bearing stands 92. The arcuately shaped spring perch blocks I20 each have extending therefrom portions I23 which have vertical sliding movement grooves I24. in the side-walls of the members I.I.4-, forming the slot I I5 and these extended portions I23 prevent the blocks I26 from being moved laterally out of the slots I I5.

After the stockings S have been properly marked by passing beneath the heated roller 5i], they continue along the conveyor belt 36 and at the end of the conveyor belt 35 there is an inclined chute I36 which has downwardly projecting legs I3I which are secured to the cross bar It of the frame I0 by any suitable meanssuch as welding.

The lower end of the chute I33 rests on the edge of thecross member Mas at I32.

By referring to Figure 6 there may be observed a plan. view of the machine showing a modified form of the invention. Instead of the shaft I94 having a plurality of rollers IIlI, I52 and I03 fixedly mounted thereon, the shaft 304 has a single roller or drum I 0 la fixedly mounted thereon. The roller IIlIa has a tape 96a mounted thereon which is drawn from the roller in a manner identical to that of the tapes 96, 9'1 and 98, that is; the tape 36a passes below the heated roller 56 and then upwardly to the roller 95 as heretofore described.

The single tape 96a may have as many rows of printed matter or decalcomanias 99 thereon as desired.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying decalcomania indicia to hosiery comprising an endless conveyor having a plurality of transverse indications thereon defining zones in which hosiery may be laid in flat condition, means for driving the conveyor to pass the hosiery through the machine while on the conveyor, a roller disposed below the upper reach of the conveyor for supporting a medial portion-of the upper reach of the conveyor a heated roller disposed above the first named roller and resting by gravity against the upper reach of the conveyor, a roll of tape, having decalcomania indicia thereon, means for supporting the rolls for withdrawing the tape therefrom, an idler roller onto which the tapes are wound after passing beneath the heated roller, a driven roller in contact with the idler roller for winding the tapes onto the idler roller, the roller for contacting the idler roller being driven at the same rate of speed as the conveyor to thus cause the tapes to travel at the same rate of speed as the conveyor and the hosiery thereon, an electrical coil disposed within the heated '.roller for heating the same to thus cause the decalcomania indicia to be simultaneously transferred from the plurality of'tapes onto spaced portions of the'stocking.

2. In a machine for applying decalcomania indicia to hosiery comprising an endless conveyor having a plurality of transverse indications thereon defining zones in which hosiery may be laid in flat condition, means for driving the conveyor to pass the hosiery through the machine while on the conveyor, a roller disposed below the upper reach of the conveyor for supporting a medial portion of the upper reach of the conveyor, a heated roller disposed above the first named roller and being supported for up and down movement by being supported by the free end of a pair of arms pivoted at one side of the last-named roller for resting against the upper reach of the conveyor, a plurality of rolls of tape having decalcomania indicia thereon, means for supporting the rolls for withdrawing the tape therefrom, an idler roller onto which the tapes are Wound after passing beneath the heated roller, a driven roller in contact with the idler roller for winding the tapes onto the idler roller, the roller for contacting the idler roller being driven at the same rate of speed as the conveyor to thus cause the tapes to travel at the same rate of speed as the conveyor and the hosiery thereon, an electrical coil disposed within the heated roller for heating the same to thus cause the decalcomania indicia to be simultaneously transferred from the plurality of tapes onto spaced portions of the stocking,'and resilient means for pressing the idler roller against the driven roller on which it rests.

3. In a machine for transferring decalcomanias to the heel, foot and toe of stockings, a frame, a conveyor mounted on the frame comprising a pair of end rollers, a third roller intermediate the first-named rollers, a conveyor belt mounted on the three rollers, a heated roller mounted in arms pivoted at one side of and being moved towards the third roller by gravity, said roller being disposed directly above the conveyor belt, means for driving one of the end rollers to drive said conveyor, means for rotatably mounting a plurality of rolls of tapes each having spaced decalcomanias thereon, means for withdrawing the tapes from their rolls and beneath the heated roller comprising a pair of uprising brackets each having a vertically disposed slot therein, a fourth roller having its ends mounted for rotation in said brackets, a tape take-up roller having its ends mounted in the slots in said brackets, means pressing the tape take-up roller against the fourth roller and the pair of rollers being of the same diameter, driving means connecting the fourth roller and one of the pair of rollers to drive the fourth roller at the same peripheral speed as the pair of rollers, whereby by placing stockings on the conveyor belt at spaced intervals, as the stockings pass beneath the heated roller in timed relation to the travel of the tapes having the decalcomanias thereon, the decalcomanias will be transferred from the tapesto the stockings.

4. Apparatus for applying decalcomania transfers to articles of wearing apparel comprising a frame, a pair of rollers mounted for rotation on the upper part of the frame, there being a roller at I each end of the frame, a conveyor belt mounted on the rollers for conveying article's through the apparatus, a medial roller mounted between the first-named rollers and on which the upper reach of the conveyor belt rests, a pair of, upstanding brackets mounted on the frame and disposed to one side of the medial roller and having a pair of arms pivotally connected to the upper ends of the same, a hollow roller mounted for rotation in the free ends of said arms, means disposed within the hollow roller for heating the same, said hollow roller being adapted to press the upper reach of the conveyor belt against the medial roller, a second pair of brackets mounted on the other side of the heated roller from that side on which the first pair of brackets is mounted, means disposed between the second pair of brackets for supporting a roll of tape having decalcomania transfers thereon, a third pair of brackets disposed on the side of the first pair of brackets which is remote from the medial roller and extending upwardly, a fourth roller mounted in the last-named brackets, the lastnamed brackets each having a vertically disposed slot therein and a shaftmounted at each of its ends in said slots and said shaft being adapted to receive a tape take-up roll for the tape after it has passed beneath the hollow roller, resilient means pressing the shaft and its take-up roll against the fourth roller, the diameter of the fourth roller and one of the pair of rollers on which the conveyor belt is mounted being the same, means for driving said one of the pair of rollers for imparting movement to the conveyor belt and driving means connectingthe driven one of said pair of rollers with the take-up roller for imparting the same peripheral speed thereto as the rollers on which the conveyor belt is mounted and whereby the rate of take up of used tape will be the same as the rate of travel of the conveyor.

JAMES A. RUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,078,448 Jost Apr. 27, 1937 2,102,132 Schmidtke 'Dec. 14, 1937 2,219,251 Catini Oct. 22, 1940 2,404,073 Karfiol July 16, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 368,405 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1932 

